Sustainable Moving & Living Tips For Musicians

As a musician, your career probably demands that you move around frequently, especially if you’re still getting established. But how sustainable are each of those moves that you make? Every move consumes fuel, packing materials, and more, and moving isn’t the most sustainable, eco-friendly activity to begin with. 

But there are ways you can — and should — change that. Making your moves more sustainable is a great strategy that not only benefits the environment, but it can also provide benefits in the form of great PR for your band. Many fans value sustainability, and even music festivals are working to become more environmentally friendly. By making a few changes in how you move, and documenting the process to share with your fans, you can lessen your impact on the environment and raise your impact on the collective social conscience. 

Carefully Choose Your New Location

Whether you’re moving to a new house or relocating your entire band, good planning is key in finding an eco-friendly new location. If possible, look for a new home or studio that uses solar energy or geothermal energy. Solar energy is a renewable, eco-friendly energy source, while geothermal energy is one of the greenest heating and cooling options available in the government and private sectors. Geothermal energy is also available anywhere in the United States; all it takes is a geothermal system to put this natural energy to use. 

There are other ways to find a home that is environmentally friendly, though. If you like to garden, try to find a property that will allow you to grow your own food; eating a vegan or vegetarian diet is more sustainable than eating meat is. Avoid homes with large pools, which consume large amounts of water and electricity and require chemicals to maintain. Look for a home that is well-insulated and that has newer, quality windows so that you can minimize your heating and cooling costs. And when you’re in your home, consider turning your thermostat down a bit in the winter and up a bit in the summer; you’ll use less energy in regulating the temperature. 

Get Your Band to Go Green

Before it’s time to move, focus on ways that you can get your whole band to go green. Start by eliminating as much paper as possible. Use online contracts and take your songwriting digital, if it still works for your creativity. 

Next, focus on cutting down on water bottles. While bottles can be recycled, chances are your band goes through a ton of unnecessary plastic. Instead, order some reusable water bottles complete with your band’s logo. You’ll look great and be sustainable, too. And you can even buy in bulk and sell them as swag.

Consider the equipment that your band does and doesn’t need. If you have old equipment that you need to get rid of, hold a yard sale or donate the equipment to a local nonprofit, rather than just throwing it away. With less equipment, there will be less to move when you do have to pack everything up. This means you’ll go through fewer boxes and may even be able to rent a smaller truck, saving on gas (and money). 

Focus on Green Moving Techniques

You can also make your move more sustainable, too. Start by carefully choosing your packing materials. Try to use boxes from a previous move, or look for people who have just finished moving and who are looking to get rid of their old boxes. You can also get used boxes at most local grocery stores, giving them a second life and purpose before recycling them or passing them on to someone else in need.

Be sure to avoid using foam packing peanuts, too. If you must use peanuts, buy ones that are biodegradable. A better option is to use materials that you already have, like blankets and clothes, to wrap breakables and fill in empty space in boxes. 

Plan ahead for your move so that you aren’t throwing out refrigerated or frozen food during the trip. Instead, start slimming down your fridge and freezer in the weeks ahead of your moving date. Borrow some coolers from friends or family and pack any leftover food into them on the day of the move so that it doesn’t go to waste. 

Finally, hire a moving company that values sustainability as you do. Moving companies can make adjustments to their approaches, like driving lower-impact routes and minimizing the amount of time that the truck spends idling. Consider how many of your own vehicles will be traveling to the new location and be sure to pack them full. This strategy might allow you to rent a smaller moving truck, or possibly to avoid having to rent a truck altogether. 

And don’t forget to market your green efforts, from moving and traveling, to the equipment you use, and even your everyday practices. Your band is, after all, your business. More and more consumers today want to relate to the businesses they interact with, and that includes the bands they listen to. It also includes how the band members interact with the environment. Do your part to take care of the environment, and make sure you’re showing it.

Sustainable Moving & Living Tips For Musicians